Kelly defends decision to interview Infowars’ Jones
Stone brings Putin to US TV
NEW YORK, June 13, (Agencies): Megyn Kelly defended her decision to feature “Infowars” host Alex Jones on her NBC newsmagazine despite taking heat Monday from families of Sandy Hook shooting victims and others, saying it’s her job to “shine a light” on newsmakers.
Critics argue that NBC’s platform legitimizes the views of a man who, among other conspiracy theories, has suggested that the killing of 26 people at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012 was a hoax. The network released a brief portion of the interview, which is scheduled to air on Sunday.
Kelly, who interviewed Russian President Vladimir Putin on the June 4 premiere of “Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly,” said on Twitter that President Donald Trump has praised Jones and been on his show. Since many people don’t know Jones and his views, Kelly noted the importance of explaining them. NBC hasn’t immediately commented on the criticism.
Nelba Marquez-Greene, whose 6-yearold daughter Ana Grace was killed at Sandy Hook, said she fears that giving Jones exposure would encourage Jones’ followers who have harassed her and others.
“You can’t just put him in a box and say he’s just a character,” Marquez-Greene said. “He’s really hurting people.”
A year ago, a New York City man who was a follower of Jones was sentenced to probation after approaching a sister of slain Sandy Hook teacher Victoria Soto during a charity road race and angrily claiming the shootings never took place. On Facebook, Soto’s family said the “incessant need for ratings at the cost of the emotional well-being of our family is disgusting and disappointing.”
Kristin Lemkau, chief marketing officer for JPMorgan Chase, tweeted that “as an advertiser, I’m repulsed that Megyn Kelly would give a second of airtime” to Jones. The company would not comment on later published reports that it had asked for its commercials not to be on the show.
A writer at the conservative website Red State, Andrea Kutz, wondered, “what is Megyn Kelly thinking?”
“I’m a news and politics-engaged individual,” Kutz said, “but I don’t care to watch interviews with liars of either Putin’s or Jones’s ilk. These interviews aren’t interesting even in the abstract.”
In the interview clip released by NBC, Kelly said to Jones, “When you say people faked their childrens’ deaths, people get very angry.”
When he tried to change the subject, Kelly said, “that’s a dodge.”
After his interview had been taped, Jones denounced it on “Infowars” as “fake news, in my view.”
He said he expected a “rigged” report because a day’s worth of interviews will be boiled down to an 11-minute report. “They’re scared of what we’re covering,” he said. “They’re scared of what we’re doing.”
Jones also described Kelly as not feminine, cold and robotic. “I felt zero attraction to Megyn Kelly,” he said.
Among Kelly’s social media critics was Shannon Watts, the founder of the anti-gun violence group Moms Demand Action, who suggested that Kelly “turn your light off and let him back under the refrigerator.”
Oliver Stone, the Hollywood director and triple Oscar winner, puts Russian President Vladimir Putin in US living rooms on Monday by broadcasting interviews with a leader who fascinates and repels many Americans in equal measure.
“The Putin Interviews” is the product of 12 conversations between the Russian leader and Stone between July 2015 and February 2017, cut into four one-hour programs shown from Monday to Thursday on cable network Showtime.
If Putin offers few revelations about policy, staunchly defending his domestic record and offering his perspective on 70 years of Russian-American relations, the series gives Western viewers a rare, unfiltered look at his thinking.
By choosing subtitles rather than dubbing, the director of “Platoon,” “Born on the Fourth of July” and “JFK” gives US television audiences the impression of almost being in the same room with the Russian leader.
Putin clearly exercises fascination over Stone, who at one point tells him: “You are an excellent CEO of a company. Russia is your company.”
No journalist, he gives Putin free reign to voice his thoughts on geopolitics, accuse the United States of supporting “terrorists” in Chechnya and the Caucuses and voice concern about US military ambitions in Eastern Europe.
Donald Trump’s visit to the U.K. may be in question, but the US president will be on British TV screens in a new documentary series, “Trump: An American Story.”
The four-part program for Channel 4 follows Trump across five decades as a businessman, developer, media star, and politician before he reached the White House.
The broadcaster said the series “tells the story of modern America through one man, showing how he has embodied many of the movements that have shaped US society from the 1960s to the present day, from turbocapitalism and political disenfranchisement to celebrity, reality TV, and social media.”
British broadcasting’s fascination with Trump, his background and motivations, is seemingly unabated. They have greenlit or bought several projects since he became president. The BBC has had programs including “Donald Trump: The People’s Billionaire,” ITV has shown documentaries including “Trump: The First 100 Days,” and Channel 5 has shown one-offs including “Who is Donald Trump?”
The 2017 Tony Awards were down significantly from last year according to Nielsen overnight data, which is not surprising given the fact that Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” was the main attraction in 2016.
This year’s ceremony drew a 0.9 rating in adults 18-49 and 6 million viewers, airing on CBS from 8 pm-11 pm. That is compared to a 1.6 and 8.7 million viewers in 2016, which represents a drop of approximately 44% in the demo and 31% in total viewers.
On NBC, the second installment of “Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly” (0.9, 4.3 million) ticked up in the demo, but was down in total viewers from the premiere episode last week, which drew a 0.8 and 6.2 million viewers. NBC also aired Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, which is currently averaging a 2.1 and 6.5 million viewers. However, due to the nature of live sports that number will likely adjust up later today. In addition, Kelly aired before the Stanley Cup game in the Eastern US and after the game in the West, meaning the ratings are also subject to adjustment later today.